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HI-FI NEWBIE NEEDS HELP!

I am new to the higher end of music listening, actually I haven’t started the listening part yet. I have just purchased an Emotiva XSP-1 pre and a pair of Magnepan 1.7i’s. My listening room is 14x14 but one wall is not closed off completely and there is an additional open space connected that is 8x9. My budget has been unexpectedly diminished more by having to buy new connectors and speakers cables. I just assumed I would be able to use my old RCA connectors and my 50’ spool of speaker wire I bought from Radio Shack 25 years ago. I will pause while you laugh....Anyway, the jist of it is is that I’ve got $2500 left for an amp. I need advice on what would be good for my setup? What would last the next 25 years, as I am a poor man with expensive tastes and will probably not be able to make any further upgrades. Would something used and older be out of date technically in 10-15 years? Could I consider something new that would be adequate for that price point? Should I go mono or two channel? Thank you for your consideration and reply.
widespreadpanic
cleeds
2,065 posts
 
willemj
I am not saying that everything sounds the same.
Actually, yes you have ... you've just placed a few conditions on your claim.

I have argued that amplifiers may sound differently for a few identifiable and avoidable reasons commonly ignored by audiophiles, and not for the magic reasons that they think.
If there's a practitioner of magic here, it would apply at least as much to you - and maybe more - as it does to your critics. "Magic" is an illusion, and relies on things such as misdirection, psychology and manipulating expectations.
willemj
1,036 posts
 
Distortion and resolution are intimately related: with distortion you lose resolution. However, you are right there is a level at which distortion or non flat response become irrelevant, once they dive below the threshold of human hearing. That was exactly my point.
But how do you define loss of data or detail?
noromance's avatar
noromance
1,780 posts
 
Distortion and resolution are intimately related: with distortion you lose resolution. 

Again, not necessarily. You can have 1% THD and high resolution.

willemj
1,036 posts
 
cleeds, you are so tiresome in your deliberate misrepresentation of what I say.
1 It was suggested that I think everything sounds the same.
2 My answer was that this may be true in the case of electronics if some conditions are met. But those conditions do matter, and I have repeatedly stated them here. I have also repeatedly backed them up with emperical evidence. If you have empirical evidence to the contrary, you are welcome to present it.
3 The other part of my answer was that speakers and room interaction produce far from perfect results. I do not think that is controversial.
willemj
1,036 posts
 
noromance, that then would be the distortion level that humans cannot hear. Indeed, there is enough research that we can tolerate or not even discern quite high levels of distortion.
My question was, however, how resolution is lost if it is not by such distortion?
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